Are QR codes free?

Static QR codes are completely free — you can generate as many as you want, they never expire, and there is no license fee for the QR format itself. The QR code standard is open, so any generator (including QRhubly's, with no account required) can create codes at no cost.

What costs money is a dynamic QR code: one that points to a short redirect link you can edit after printing, with scan statistics. Running those redirects requires servers that must stay online for years, which is why every serious provider charges a subscription for dynamic codes. Rule of thumb: if the destination will never change and you don't need scan counts, a free static code is all you need.